January 17, 2021 • Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Pastoral Associate for Elementary Catechetics

Tracey Hann

School PrincipalMichael Petrillo

DIRECTOR OF LITURGICAL MUSIC MINISTRIES

Dr. Patricio Molina

Assistant Liturgical Music Minister

Kimberley Mesiti

Pastoral Associate for Family & Adult Formation Ministries

Robert P. Miller

TRUSTEESBernadette LipomaJames McKittrick

St. Thomas the ApostleSt. Thomas the ApostleRoman Catholic ChurchRoman Catholic Church

Rectory/Parish Center: (973) 338-9190 • Fax: (973) 338-4224 Religious Education: (973) 338-7400 • School: (973) 338-8505

Address: 60 Byrd Avenue, Bloomfi eld, NJ 07003 • Website: www.stachurchbloomfi eld.comFacebook: Saint Thomas the Apostle Church Twitter: @stachurchnj YouTube: STA Bloomfi eldNJ

Parish Center Hours: Mon., Tues., and Thurs. 9am-3pm • Wednesday 10am-3pm Fri. 9am-2pm (July through Labor Day Fri. 9am-1pm) • Saturday 9am-1pm

Eucharistic LiturgySaturday Eve: 5:00pm

Sunday: 8:00 and 10:00am, and 12:00 Noon

Weekdays: Mon. through Fri. 11:30amHoly Days: See the bulletin

Holidays: 8:30am

Sacrament of Reconciliation

(Penance/Confessions)Saturday: 1:00pm

Marian Devotions

MondaysNovena Prayer 11:30am Mass

Liturgy of the Word

With ChildrenSundays: 10:00am Mass

September - June

Catholic Community

ServicesOffering Social

Service Assistance1(800) CCS-7413

Fax: 596-3735

Rev. Lawrence J. Fama, PastorRev. Charles J. Miller, Pastor EmeritusParochial Vicar: Rev. Lukasz Rokita

In Residence: Rev. John Gordon and Rev. Charles PinyanWeekend Assistant: Rev. Thomas Cembor

PERMANENT DEACONSDeacon Thomas J. Coyle • Deacon Brian J. Murphy • Deacon Michael Pasquale

Deacon Dennis J. Besida, Retired

Masses for the Week Saturday, January 16

5:00 pm Deceased Members of DeLisio & Laterza Families

Sunday, January 17 8:00 am Dr. Jack & Lois Adessa—Family

10:00 am Al Gardner—Friend 12:00 pm Joseph Condito, Jr.—Friend

Monday, January 18 Weekday 8:30 am Helen Spano—Friend

Tuesday, January 19 Weekday 11:30 am Vicente Congjuico—Friend

Wednesday, January 20 Weekday 11:30 am Antoinette Rotunda—Family

Thursday, January 21 St. Agnes, Virgin and Martyr 11:30 am Deacon Al & Mary Margaret Tizzano—Bequest

Friday, January 22 Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children 11:30 am Leonard Williams—Family

Saturday, January 23 Weekday 8:30 am Jacob Szajkowski—Daughters 5:00 pm James J. Doran—Family

Sunday, January 24 Third Sunday in Ordinary Time 8:00 am William Towey—Friends 10:00 am John O’Leary—Friend 12:00 pm John Rizzo—Spouse

The People of the Parish Mass will be celebrated privately. The priests will be fulfilling all mass intention obligations.

PRAY FOR OUR SICK

Cristina Navarrete, Madelyn Delaney, Mary Murphy, Virginia Fallon, Michael O’Connor, Donna DeVito, Ruth Mounts, Robin Spera, Cecilia Bertonaschi,

James Nelson, Rev. Michael Kreder, Nancy Salerno

REST IN PEACE

Marcella Slawinski Ruth Hudson

Michele Nydegger

Missals and Hymnals will not be available in the pews. Please download the music and readings from our website and bring them with you or use a Catholic app on your phone or tablet.

Gospel Reading: John 1:35–42

Today’s reading from the Gospel according to John immedi-ately follows John the Baptist's testimony about Jesus and his identification of Jesus as the Lamb of God. Having been bap-tized by John, Jesus begins to gather followers. The first fol-lowers sought out Jesus because of the testimony and wit-ness of John the Baptist.

We are familiar with the title that John the Baptist uses for Jesus—the Lamb of God. We hear it weekly at the fraction rite during Mass. For those who heard John the Baptist, however, this title recalled key themes from the Old Testament. It al-ludes to the paschal lamb offered as a sacrifice when God freed the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, the event that is commemorated by the Jewish Passover celebration. The des-ignation also recalls the prophet Isaiah’s description of the suffering servant of Israel. In using this name for Jesus, John the Baptist predicts Jesus’ passion and death and the new interpretation of Passover that will begin with Jesus’ Last Sup-per.

We learn in today’s reading how Jesus’ first followers were gathered. The first two, Andrew and another man, were fol-lowers of John the Baptist. After hearing John’s testimony, they became followers of Jesus. During their time with Jesus, the details of which are not specified, Andrew and the other follower came to believe that Jesus was the Messiah. Andrew then brings his brother, Simon, to Jesus. Immediately, Jesus gave Simon a new name, calling him Peter, which means “rock” in Greek. The renaming of Simon to Peter is reported in all four of the Gospels.

In the exchange between Andrew, the other disciple, and Je-sus, we see an example of the usual pattern for first-century Jewish rabbinical schools. Jews sought out rabbis and estab-lished themselves as disciples of a particular rabbi. Jesus appears to have been unique in that he sought out individu-als, inviting them to be his followers. In the passage that fol-lows, John’s Gospel tells us how Jesus took the initiative in calling Philip and Nathanael.

Jesus asks Andrew and the other disciple, “What are you looking for?” This is a telling question, and one that we might often ask of ourselves. John the Baptist testified to Jesus’ identity, the Lamb of God, using the framework of the Old Testament. Andrew, Simon, and the other first disciples were looking for the Messiah, whom they also came to know as the Son of God. What do we look for and what do we find in Je-sus?

Second Sunday of Ordinary Time January 17, 2021

Parish Center will be closed on Saturday for the month of January.

PPhase 3 Church reopening / Weekend Masses

Cardinal Tobin has extended the dispensation to attend Mass.

Weekend Mass Schedule - Saturdays 5pm, Sundays 8, 10, 12 and on our YouTube channel.

The church will be open a half hour before Mass and closes after Mass for cleaning. Maximum of 150 people per Mass on a first come first serve basis.

Please use the south side handicap and center front entrances. Weekday Mass will be celebrated at 11:30 am Monday—Friday. The church will be open from 10:30am to 12:30pm on these days. Maximum of 150 people per Mass on a first come first serve basis. Please use the south side handicap entrance.

Reconciliation (confession) Saturday at 1pm in our parking lot (weather permitting). In case of inclement weather, confession will be in church. Please enter through the front center door. GUIDELINES Everyone must wear a mask before entering the Church and while in the building Everyone must stay 6’ apart when on the church property (both inside and outside the Church) Everyone must sanitize your hands before entering the church (please bring hand sanitizer with you) If you are sick or feel that you’ve been infected or exposed to someone who has been infected with Covid-19, you must wait 14 days before entering the Church

We are happy to welcome you back for Mass but please note that even with the best health practices and social distanc-ing, anyone who enters a public space should recognize there is a risk in contracting Covid-19. We’ve increased the cleaning of our Church, but no one should expect they will be any safer from germs here than in other public areas.

January 17, 2021

Men’s Scripture Reading and Reflection online. ALL MEN are invited MMonday, January 25, 2021 at 7:30pm on line at ZOOM. Join a group of ordinary men and spend 90 minutes reflecting on the Sunday Scripture Readings for the coming week. WWe will also watch “Reading Scriptures along with the Early Church Fathers”, produced by Word on Fire Ministries. Part 2 of 6. Come and share the extraordinary Word of God and together learn more about our beautiful Catholic faith. Join Zoom Scripture Meeting at: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89601220664?pwd=SGF3YzM0NjNJK0UvQVowUXExeE1vdz09 Meeting ID: 896 0122 0664 Passcode: 778579

PARISH CENTER — PHONE HOURS ONLY M, T, Th, 9am-3pm, Wed. 10am-3pm,

Fri. 9am-2pm. Sat. 9am-1pm PARISH CENTER CLOSED SATURDAYS IN JANUARY

ALL MEETINGS & EVENTS CANCELED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE

STEWARDSHIP OF TREASURE

The Main source of operating funds for St. Thomas is our weekly / holyday offertory collections. The information below will show where the Parish is as of January 10th compared to the amount needed for the year. The break-even date is June 30, 2021. The amount needed each week to have a balanced budget is $17,254 and the amount collected last weekend was $18,824.

Envelopes/Cash $14,494 Electronic Giving $4,330

Balanced Budget Amount Year to Date Remaining $880,000 $420,591 $459,409

The year to date amount is negative by $62,521 as of week number 28 in our current budget year.

We encourage parishioners to sign up for electronic parish giving. Electronic giving is more regular, helps the parish to plan better, and lessens the need for volunteers to physically touch envelopes/cash, thus lessening the opportunity for viral transmissions. Please go our website http://www.stachurchbloomfield.com for more information.

ordinary

May the Prince of Peace and His Holy Mother keep you in their care throughout the New Year.

Happy New Year! St. Thomas the Apostle School Community

New Family Registration begins Monday, February 1, 2021

For more information call the school office at 973.338.8505. www.staschoolnj.org

ATTENTION STA ALUMNI Please visit our website & register on the

Alumni Registration page.

Please join us for Eucharistic Adoration and Holy Hour on Monday January 25th at 7pm.

January 17, 2021

STA Calendar Raffle It's that time of year! The STA Home & School Association is holding its annual Calendar Raffle. The proceeds will direct-ly support the education programs at St. Thomas the Apostle School. Please consider a $15.00 donation for each raffle ticket. The raffle will begin February 1, 2021 and run through April 30, 2021. Prizes range from $100 to $1,000. You can pick up raffle tickets in the Parish Center or order them from Michele Gilfillan at mggilfillan@yahoo.com or at (646) 584 8187. Checks or money orders can be made out to STA Home & School Association. Deadline for purchasing tickets is January 31, 2021.

St. Thomas the Apostle Mission Statement The Roman Catholic faith community of St. Thomas the Apos-tle recognizes God’s call to be a sign of His Kingdom in the communities we serve. We respond to this call by:

Leading people to a deeper relationship with Christ by providing opportunities for spiritual growth, renewal, educa-tion, the celebration of the Sacraments, and the worship of God in the sacred liturgy;

Encouraging a commitment to justice and to service of those in need;

Promoting good stewardship of our time, talent and treasure;

Building a community of hospitality and support in the daily living out of Christian ideals by nourishing mutual respect and understanding within our Church, our families, our com-munity, and other faith traditions .

U.S. Bishop Chairmen for Pro-Life and Doctrine Address Ethical Concerns on the New COVID-19 Vaccines

WASHINGTON– On December 14, Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Cath-olic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Doctrine, and Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City in Kansas, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Pro-Life Activities, issued a statement on the new COVID-19 vaccines. In their statement, the bishops ad-dress the moral concerns raised by the fact that the three vaccines that appear to be ready for distribution in the United States all have some connection to cell lines that originated with tissue taken from abortions.

With regard to the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, they concluded:

“In view of the gravity of the current pandemic and the lack of availability of alternative vaccines, the reasons to accept the new COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna are sufficiently serious to justify their use, despite their remote connection to moral-ly compromised cell lines.

“Receiving one of the COVID-19 vaccines ought to be understood as an act of charity toward the other members of our communi-ty. In this way, being vaccinated safely against COVID-19 should be considered an act of love of our neighbor and part of our moral responsibility for the common good.”

With regard to the AstraZeneca vaccine, the bishops found it to be “more morally compromised” and consequently concluded that this vaccine “should be avoided” if there are alternatives available. “It may turn out, however, that one does not really have a choice of vaccine, at least, not without a lengthy delay in immunization that may have serious consequences for one’s health and the health of others,” the bishop chairmen stated. “In such a case … it would be permissible to accept the AstraZeneca vaccine.”

At the same time, the bishops also warned that Catholics “must be on guard so that the new COVID-19 vaccines do not desensitize us or weaken our determination to oppose the evil of abortion itself and the subsequent use of fetal cells in research.”

What shall I return to the Lord for all His goodness to me?(psalm 116: 12) Now is a good time to rejoice in what the Lord has done for each of us, and to look back at what we have done and given back to Him and His / Our Church. It is also a very good time to recommit to being more generous by sharing our Time, Talent and Treasure for the Lord and others.

Living the 3 T’s

NEW TO OUR PARISH? WELCOME!! PARISH MEMBERSHIP; New Parishioners are requested to register in the Parish as soon as possible. Please notify us of changes in address or phone number.

Name_______________________________________________

Address_____________________________________________

Phone______________________________________________

Email_______________________________________________

____ I wish to receive a registration form

____ I have an address change

____ I am moving out of the Parish

STA NEWSLETTERS Please sign up for future email news-letters from us as an addi-tional way to keep you informed of important news at St. Thomas. You may drop the following form into the collection basket or at the parish center: NAME _______________________________________________

PHONE______________________________________________

EMAIL ______________________________________________

January 17, 2021

Beyond Cornerstone Service Ministry to St. Augustine’s Soup Kitchen

Through hard work and generous donations, our ministry has helped the Sisters at St. Augustine’s Soup Kitchen meet the homeless community’s increasing demands throughout the 2020 Pandemic. The number of clients is only growing each week.

Our volunteers have purchased and delivered a hearty warm meal to be enjoyed by close to 200 clients on the last Sunday of each month.. We ask for your generosity to help continue this mission in the new year.

Tiffany and her team supplied a 2020 Thanksgiving dinner, followed by a Christmas feast. This could not have been accomplished without the generosity of the Daily Catering Services of Belleville. Joanne is in touch with the Sisters monthly to determine what sup-plies are needed, and she follows through with getting them purchased, collected and delivered.

We have also been asked to continue to donate cases of water. We need help to do this heavy work twice a month. AAnthony Nole will be delivering water to the Kitchen at the end of the month. Cases can be dropped off at 178 Raab Avenue, Bloomfield. If it is more convenient, he will pick up your donation.

Donations may be put in the Sunday collection basket or dropped off at the parish center. Please make checks payable to St. Thomas the Apostle Parish and write “Soup Kitchen” in the memo. The envelope should be labeled Beyond Cornerstone Soup Kitchen, attention: Alicia.

Thank you for your generous direct assistance to our homeless brothers and sisters.

O Lord, for those of us who have not yet been made ill by the ever-present virus, we are tempted to feel like we are doing all things right and perhaps the virus will pass over us like the plagues passed over the Israelites and only felled the Egyptians. But we know better. This virus is no respecter of persons. It has no boundaries. We have no natural de-fenses. We are all at risk. So, Lord of Life, we ask you to stay near us for better and for worse, in sickness and in health, and may not even death part us from you. Amen – The Rev. Fain Webb, St. Luke and St. Mary, Hope/Bevidere

Dear Father Fama,

On behalf of the Scouts, parents and leadership of Troop 22, we want to thank you for your guidance and approval of our annual wreath sale.

This year the scouts sold over 90 dozen wreaths with 150 wreaths sold directly to your parishioners at the church. Our scouts even hand delivered to those who could not do the ‘drive-thru’ that was set up.

We are so thankful for your support. COVID has been difficult on everyone. Having the wreath sale provided some sense of normalcy for our scouts, which was wonderful.

Once again, we thank you for your continued support and are proud to call you a Friend of Troop 22.

Yours In Scouting, Maurice McLaughlin

January 17, 2021

FAMILY CONNECTION John 1:35–42

In today’s Gospel we learn about one of at least two family relations that appear among Jesus’ first disciples. Andrew is the brother of Simon, whom Jesus renames Peter. In next week’s Gospel, we will learn about the brothers James and John, the sons of Zebedee. We know from the letters of Paul and other witnesses to the early Church that it was a common occurrence for an entire household to be bap-tized together. From the very beginning of the Church, fami-lies helped one another to know and follow Jesus. We hope and pray that this continues to be true in our family life.

Before your family gathers, look around your house and gather some items that your family might have that remind you of your faith. Perhaps you have a cross or crucifix dis-played in your home, a statue of Mary, or statues or other art depicting saints. In today’s Gospel we learn about how Andrew led his brother, Simon, to Jesus. Read today’s Gos-pel, John 1:35-42.

In our family life, we also help to lead one another to Jesus. Talk together about the items that you gathered, discussing what these items mean to you and how you might use them during the day for prayer. Pray that your family will continue to help one another grow in our faith in Jesus. Pray together the Glory Be to the Father.

The Parish will be acquiring a new set of vestments that will be worn by both the priest celebrant and the deacon at mass. Each set consists of white, green, red, and purple.

If you would like to memorialize one or more vestments please call Fr. Larry or Susan at the Par-ish Center.

St Thomas Apostle, Bloomfield Spiritual Direction Ministry

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE

Virtual Morning of Reflection

Thursday Jan 21, 2021 9:00am -12:30pm

or 7:00 pm – 9:00pm

JOURNEY OF THE MAGI poem by TS Elliot

PRESENTER – ANNA GRAZIANO

The pains of moving on letting go of one way of life – one faith –and acknowledgment of another.

Challenges – Walking in the Unknown – Trusting

This day will help us notice the similar challenges in our own lives as we struggle to open our hearts and lives, to rebirth, to The Light, to Jesus as we move through this challenging time of pandemic

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